12 Reasons It’s Awesome to Work From Home

It’s 9 O’clock on a Friday night and here I am. I’ve got Erasure playing on the computer and have notes and papers scattered beside me on the couch. I’m in my comfy PJs wrapped in a blanket topped off with super fuzzy socks. My kids are snuggled up asleep in their beds and I’m hopped up on coffee, working.

Now I know some of you may be thinking, “Working on a Friday night? What?” But hey, partying on a Friday night is a thing of the past. And because I work for myself and I work online my hours are my own and I work whenever I feel like it. And by sitting here working instead of vegging out on the couch watching Scrubs reruns (OK, so those ARE actually on but, muted) I’m going to have a great week. A week where I’ll actually start out ahead.

This is one of the awesome things about working from home.

Earlier this month there was an article in the Huffington Post, 14 Reasons Why Being A Stay At Home Person Sucks. Since the article caught me on a stressful day, I related to it and posted it on Facebook. But I got to thinking, yes I related to it. I’d be a liar if I said I didn’t. Being a mom is hard. Being a working mom is hard. Being stay at home mom is hard. Put all of those together into one tired work at home mom and it gets even harder. And some days, it sucks.

But most days it’s kind of awesome.  And here are a few reasons why:

1. I don’t have a boss. That’s what “working for myself” means. I don’t answer to anyone but myself. Granted, I have clients who hire me, and I do what they pay me to do. But it’s not the same thing as a boss lurking over your shoulder.
2. I make my own schedule. I schedule meetings and phone calls when I want to. I can work from my couch, the coffee shop, or close my laptop and go for a walk.
3. I get to take care of sick kids stress free. I remember what it was like to get a call from my daycare provider that my son was sick. I’d have to tell my boss and coworkers that I needed to leave and then I’d have to finish what I was working on, clean out my in-box, while sitting on hold with the doctor. The whole time my sick child would be waiting for me at daycare. Now? I can have my sick kids in my arms in less than 6 minutes from the time the school calls me to tell me their sick. I can snuggle, watch TV or take them to the doctor. All without worrying about leaving work.
4. I don’t miss a thing. Class parties, assemblies, field trips, science lab, and every other little thing at school. I’m there for all of it. And that’s pretty darn cool.
5. I can take a vacation without taking time off work. I can pretty much work from anywhere that I can plug in my laptop and get Wi-Fi. Anywhere.
6. I’m in charge of the thermostat. In the summer or winter I never have to bicker with other people in the office about turning the heat or air up or down.
7. I’m also in charge of the music. I pick the station. I pick the volume. Try and pull that one off in the office…
8. Household chores can be included in my workday. So this could actually be something that’s listed in the “Reason Why it sucks” list, but in the vain of staying awesome, I am adding it here. With decent time-management, loads of coffee, and the occasional Friday night work session I can get some housework done during my workweek. Yay me.
9. No commuting. Unless of course you count walking to and from school to pick up the kids. Whether it’s hot or humid out or storming and raining, I’m not stuck driving in it. Ever. Also, see #6.
10. I’m healthier. Let’s face it when you’re working in an office you can be chained to your desk a good part of the day. When you’re working from home you get a lot more action and are able to take time to walk around the block or do short workout right there at home. Plus working from home means less dining out. Not to mention making and eating healthier foods is always easier from home.
11. The dress code isn’t very strict. I can dress up or show up in my PJs. Either way the only one judging me is the cat. And who is she to judge fashion?
12. Less stress. Don’t get me wrong, working from home can be stressful in so many ways I couldn’t even begin to list them. But here at home, it’s a different kind of stress. It’s my stress. I control it, I decide how I want to deal with it, and how to fix it. And on my worst days I decide when to say “Screw It” and lie down on the couch and read for 30 minutes.

So yea, nothing in life is easy. And being a work at home parent creates a whole unique set of challenges. But I wouldn’t change it for the world. Maybe for a bigger paycheck… but hey it’s hard to find one of those in an office these days too.

About the author:
Meghan H. Harvey

Meghan is a mom of two living in the beautiful San Francisco bay area. In between running around with her 7-year-old son and 5-year-old daughter, she writes, blogs, eats lots of chocolate, and drinks lots of coffee. You can find more of her highly caffeinated and chocolate tinged musings at Meg's Idle Chatter or the Silicon Valley Moms blog. You can also find her hiding from any domestic duties on Twitter as @meghan1018.

Recent articles by: Meghan H.

• Parenting and the Milk Carton Generation
• Community Conversation - Six Year Old Arrested for Kicking Principal
• This Just In: Sexual Education Helps Lower Teen Pregnancy

View all articles by Meghan H.